As long as shoes have been made, their owners have sought to maintain their appearance and prolong their wear. One fashionable shoe style includes one or more tassels, usually a pair, on top of the shoe as an ornamentation. In most cases the shoe also includes an ornamental flap extending from the upper edge of the shoe part way toward the toe of the shoe. Through prolonged use, misuse, or improper storage, the flap and tassels may curl or bend out of position.
Various boots have been made to overlie shoes in inclement weather to protect the shoes. Shoe trees have been made to be inserted within shoes to maintain their shape and to remove excess moisture from within the shoe. Other devices have been used to protect, for example, the shoe laces and the instep of shoes, and to protect other surfaces from shoes, such as from golf shoe spikes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,603 to Goodman describes a detachable spiked shoe protective cover that increases footing on hard surfaces and prevents injury to other surfaces for wearers of spiked shoes such as golf shoes or track shoes. The bottom of the spiked shoe is placed upon a pad that has a deformable upper surface and has a shape approximating a sole of a shoe so that the spikes are contained within the pad. Resilient lateral strap members are secured to the front and rear edges of the pad and are connected by a central strap to resiliently hold and secure the pad in position against the bottom of the spiked shoe. The lateral strap members are connected by a strap and clasp member that overlies the top of the shoe, and rearward of the front edge of any shoe flap. The spiked shoes may then be worn on hard surfaces without slipping and without damaging the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 690,003 to Altman describes a detachable shoe lace protector having a shield overlying the shoe laces of a shoe and held in place by a strap that passes through the shoe instep and connects to the other end of the strap by an eyelet/tab connector. Hooks are affixed to the upper inside end of the shield and engage the upper edge of the shoe or the laces. The Altman protector serves to completely overlie and protect the shoe laces and prevent them from becoming untied. If used with buttoned shoes, it serves solely as an ornamentation.
Somewhat similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,682 to Malloy describes a removable lace cover strap placed about the instep of laced footwear, usually athletic shoes, to prevent the laces from becoming untied. This device also serves for decorative purposes. A strap is provided with a width about equal to the instep and a length just sufficient to allow overlapping of the strap's opposite ends. A hook type fastener, such as a Velcro.RTM. fastener, may be used to fasten the strap's opposite ends together during the athletic performance of the wearer. The strap may include a ornamental design on its loop fastener patch on the upper arch of the shoe to enhance the appearance of the Malloy strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 875,560 to Vaughan describes a shoe protector designed to protect a shoe at the shank and instep when worn by miners, laborers on railways and other places where shovels or spades are used. A metal protector plate is positioned over the shank portion of the shoe and the breast portion of the heel and is held in position by an adjustable strap that passes through the instep of the shoe. The shoe is thus protected against cuts and abrasions, lengthening the life of the shoe and, perhaps more importantly, protecting the user's foot.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,901,659 to Larack describes an instep protector to be used with high heels, for example, to protect the instep of the foot from becoming sore and to allow one to wear such shoes comfortably even if one's instep is tender. The Larack device is an endless band of elastic material, such as rubber, and includes both a narrow portion and a much wider portion. The wider portion fits over the instep with the narrow portion going under the instep of the shoe. Another piece of the elastic material overlies the wider portion of the protector and forms a pocket for receiving and retaining a pad of soft textile material which may be medicated to treat an already sore instep. It is also possible to position the wider portion to protect whatever part of the foot requires protection.
U.S. Pat. No. 397,967 to Carroll describes a sandal for use over a shoe for the purpose of protecting lawns. The sole of the sandal approximates the bottom of an ordinary shoe or boot and is made from rubber, leather or other flexible material having sufficient rigidity and stiffness to serve its purpose. The forward end of the sole has toe-piece made from rubber or leather, e.g., adapted to receive the toe of the shoe or boot and is slit at the top and includes lacings to accommodate shoes/boots of varying sizes. At the rearward end of the sole is placed an upturned flange, or heel-piece, adapted to receive the heel of the shoe or boot and provide a sufficiently close fit to prevent any side motion. The bottom of the sole includes ribs or projections to increase traction on lawns. A strap or band is connected to the sole between the heel and toe through a loop at a point nearest the heel portion. A separate strap may extend around the instep of the shoe over the arch. These straps serve to position and maintain the sandal on the shoe or boot, and they may be combined into a single strap. The sole and its means of attachment serve to provide a sandal without any abrupt edge that would cut or injure the lawn.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,164,810 to Hammond describes a toe brake for use by coasters (or sled riders) that is easily attachable to a shoe and which allows the coaster to guide and brake the sled without damaging the coaster's shoe. The toe brake is positioned and retained on the center line of the shoe without presenting a fastening strap in a position to be stepped on or readily become worn out. A piece of sheet metal having a main body in the form of a shank is adapted to lie on the top of a boot or shoe and extends longitudinally. The back portion inclines upwardly and has two arms fitting the foot. The arms are provided with a strap and buckle adapted to pass around the rear of the foot to hold the toe brake in place. Another strap and buckle is secured to the shank of the sheet metal and is adapted to pass through the bottom of the shoe through its instep and prevents the device from swinging about the ankle. The straps are positioned so as to not to allow them to be stepped on or readily worn out. The braking means consists of an upwardly inclined, pointed member in line with the shank at the toe end. To strengthen the brake point, a separate piece of sheet metal is attached to the upper surface of the device and extends throughout the length of the toe point.
None of these prior art patents disclose a device to maintain and/or reform a shoe flap and tassels at or near their original positions to restore and maintain the attractive appearance of the shoes. None of the prior art patents disclose a separate portion to overly the tassels allowing a separate positioning of, and pressure against, the tassels.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shoe tassel retainer specifically designed to retain or reform shoe flaps and tassels to their original, desired positions.
Another object of this invention is to provide a shoe tassel retainer having a separate retaining element for the tassels to allow precise positioning of the tassels.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a shoe tassel retainer having a separate retaining element for the tassels to allow exertion of just adequate pressure against the tassels to reform, but not deform, them, while at the same time exerting firmer pressure on the flap of the shoe associated with the tassels.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.